Sleeping Arrangements
by Rac80
Summary: A piece of fluff concerning sleeping arrangements on missions. D/V of course, no spoilers except for Emancipation season 1 , Vala's POV followed by Daniel's POV. Rated T due to "implications". I don't own Stargate...blah blah...


Sleeping Arrangements

Vala's POV

Vala had found the Tau'ri to be a most advanced society in many ways. But there still was a certain protectiveness of women she found charming. She knew she could hold her own in a fight, heck she even beat Daniel up; if only he hadn't cheated with a zat'ni'katel. That didn't seem to matter on missions though. When she became a _probationary member of the SGC assigned to SG1,_ (as Cam constantly reminded her!) she was informed that she would share sleeping quarters every night when off-planet with one of the men on the team. Daniel had given her an admonishing glare and told her it was purely for safety's sake and she was not to attempt to "take advantage of the situation."

Asking the simple question of why had caused Sam to launch into an account of "the Shavadai….Daniel talking me into… culture….kidnapped….sold…fight for life and freedom," punctuated by many frowns sent at Daniel. Daniel's response had been to hang his head, put his hands in his pockets; _oh he so knows he is adorable when he does that_, and mumble "anthropologist…..seemed right…sorry…never suggested it again…I already said I was sorry."

Vala hid her smirk at the glower Sam bestowed on the hapless archeologist. Samantha had always appeared to care a lot for Daniel, but this was obviously one memory that was not a pleasant one for the colonel. She was going to have get Sam alone, try some of those fruity alcohol drinks, and find out the whole story.

But that is neither here nor there; the situation is thus, Vala has found herself once again sharing a tent with Daniel, a very small tent. It's funny that she never shares with Teal'c or Cam when Daniel is on the mission…. She doesn't mind though, it gives her a chance to study (_ok stare at!) _ Daniel while he is sleeping. She can watch him for hours, actually she has. He is a truly magnificent specimen of a man; handsome, well-built, caring, and has a keen intellect. In her experience it was very rare to find all of those qualities in one man! He was a keeper, if a woman could just figure out how…

The problem with sharing a tent with Daniel was that eventually Vala would fall asleep, and then the trouble would begin. Sometime in the early dawn hours, she would awake feeling warm, cared for, and more than a little amorous. Then she would discover that she had snuggled up to Daniel, climbed into his sleeping bag, and wrapped herself around him. She would awake to find his mouth on her neck, his hand sliding along her abdomen- under her t-shirt, and their legs entangled. Her challenge was to unwrap herself without Daniel waking up and accusing her of "taking advantage of him." Inch by slow inch, she would move away from the sleeping man, fighting her own desire to stay where she was and let the ha'tak land where it will. Once she was back in her own sleeping bag, _feeling cold_, she would roll over to face Daniel, staring as he slept. He seemed to be almost smiling sometimes, as if he had wonderful dreams. Probably about his dead wife, he was most likely thinking of Sha're as he held Vala in the night.

Each mission would bring her nights of sweet torture, being so close to Daniel, but knowing he would never be hers. For a few minutes before she moved away, she contemplated waking him and seeing what would transpire, but she didn't want to lose his friendship over a few stolen moments in his arms.

Daniel's POV

Sam was never going to let him live it down about the Shavadai…just because they made her wear a dress and sold her as a wife to another tribal leader… Daniel knew he had blown it big time then. He had never made that mistake again and he understood that it had been unfair of him to expect Sam to act like an anthropologist. He knew it was the reason the female members were never left alone on missions. Some of the women seemed to grumble about it being his fault, but others didn't seem to mind. After that experience Jack had kept Sam by his side every night.

When Cam explained the situation to Vala, he decided that since it was his fault the SGC felt females needed to be protected and she was his responsibility, he would make the sacrifice of being her "tent-mate". This would protect Cam or Teal'c from her advances and silliness. He had told her not try to take advantage of it with his best warning glare and had only gotten her most "innocent" look back.

After the first few missions, he had come to enjoy having her in the tent with him. They would discuss what had happened that day and he could bounce ideas off her. It had become a very domestic scene with the two of them. She knew he liked to sleep on the right side of the tent, he knew she couldn't sleep unless she had her stuffed giraffe with her, she knew he kept a spare pair of glasses in an indestructible case in his pack, he knew she got very cold at night and preferred to sleep in sweats _(how did she ever get his sweats?). _

There were still discussions about who would share with Sam; Teal'c snored and if Cam was stressing he talked in his sleep. Everyone accepted he would share with Vala. After missing a few missions due to becoming a Prior, he had wondered how the sleeping arrangements had worked. The evening of the first mission off-world, he had waited to see what would happen, only to have Vala latch onto his arm, exclaiming how glad she was to have her "sleeping partner" back. "_Teal'c SNORED loud enough to wake the dead and Cam actually hit me when he had a nightmare. This time I'm going to have a good night's sleep."_

Daniel had never admitted to anyone, even himself, exactly why he liked sharing a tent with Vala. In the quiet of the night, he could indulge his fantasies of "life with Vala". There would be no innuendo, no blatant passes, just him holding her close, pulling her into his sleeping bag, and wishing…. He always knew when she would wake; stillness would descend upon her, no longer was she sinuously wrapping herself around him, he had to hold in the chuckle as she began to mutter under her breath as she slowly pulled away from him. "Oh he is going to kill me…not my fault…he is too…he is so going to kill me…" Hiding his smile was becoming harder and harder. Maybe it was time he made his move.

It had been a cold night on P4X-239; Vala was freezing. Daniel had been patient but she wasn't falling asleep. If she didn't fall asleep soon…."Damn it Vala come here." Daniel opened his sleeping bag and motioned for her to climb in with him. "We can unzip yours and use it as an extra blanket." Sighing heavily, Daniel pulled her into his body, wrapped himself around her, and finally began to relax. Vala drifted off to sleep.

The air was still cool when Daniel woke up, he was still holding Vala in his arms, and he decided that today was THE day; the day he made his move. Starting to kiss her neck, he allowed his hands to roam more freely than in the past. He could tell when she woke up; there was a catch in her breathing. She lay in his arms quiescent, enjoying but not openly responding to his attempt at seduction. He knew he had only himself to blame for that, he has spent the last two years blaming her for his responses. He gently turned her in his arms so they were face to face. Her eyes flew open when she saw he was awake. He tenderly kissed her lips and sighed when she kissed him back. He knew that there would be lots of talking and explaining when this mission was over, but for now he was simply going to enjoy kissing Vala. Later he would take her home and explain that he had been falling in love with her for some time, he would apologize for being slow, and then introduce her to the joys of cuddling in a queen-sized bed.

_finis_


End file.
